project ELOIS Breadboard – QM Compact Earth Observation Spectrometer

This founding project for our Technology Development division was dedicated to the realization and testing of the ELOIS spectro-imager breadboard (original and innovative freeform design). We are now immersed in the development of its Qualification Model (QM) which will cover the entire solar spectrum (400 nm -> 2450 nm) with a Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) of 35m.

The Spectrometer combines three promising new technologies for future hyperspectral instruments: complex blazed grating, Free form optics and Back size illuminated Hyperspectral CMOS sensor. With an image space F-number of 2.1, it is also one of the fastest instrument of this type. The ratio between Swath and GSD is about two times larger than currently planned hyperspectral missions.

This new imager offers a reduced cost, obtained thanks to the control of several optical, mechanical, electronic and software technologies. As it also consumes less power and requires fewer peripheral instruments, it is ideal for boarding small satellites.

He uses more than 200 spectral bands to analyze many things that a simple camera would not see: the spread of diseases in the fields, the damage caused by a flood or earthquake, etc.